Wine Communicator of the Year

We’re so pleased to announce that Festival of Wine founder Tom Cannavan has been awarded the biggest prize in global wine communication: Wine Communicator of the Year, awarded by the International Wine & Spirits Competition and Vinitaly. This is the 25th year of this award, the first winner being Jancis Robinson, followed by Hugh Johnson and a list of great names in wine writing and communication. Now Tom has been presented with the 2018 trophy at a glittering ceremony in Verona, Italy.

The judges said Tom was a “consummate professional,” and was “a clear winner, with 23 years of wine passion that is clearly as relevant and well communicated today”. Host of television’s ‘The Wine Show’, Joe Fattorini, said this accolade is “a long overdue honour for one of the country’s best, most modest communicators.” The judging panel of senior figures from the wine industry added that despite a high quality international shortlist, Tom was “the unanimous choice.”

At the ceremony in Verona Tom was presented with his trophy – a beautiful goblet of specially-commissioned Murano glass – by Giovanni Mantovani, the general director of Veronafiere, organisers of Italy’s annual trade fair. Asked to comment, Tom told the 600-strong audience: “This is a tremendous honour. Like a lot people in the world of wine, it was a passion for the subject that steered me towards a career in wine. Sharing that passion through my writing and broadcasting rarely feels like work, and is always a pleasure. Nevertheless, it is so gratifying to be chosen to receive this truly international honour by the IWSC, which is proof that I must be doing something right!”

There is a full report on the IWSC’s web site. Why not come along and meet the world’s best wine communicator at one of our Festivals? 🙂